Once my flame, twice my burn
by Celtic Oak
Summary: AU. After a notorious breakup, Sakura wants nothing to do with men. At least, not until an exred headed flame hears the news and comes knocking on her door. GaaSaku.
1. Part I

This fic was written for entirely therapeutic purposes, so I can't say if it's any good. But still, I felt like sharing with you guys so I hope it will make up somewhat for the time I've been gone.

My muse is finally starting to show signs of life so I hope my writer's rout will get better. This will be posted in two parts… the second chapter should be up by the end of the week. You can expect some mature content in that one.

Looks like I'm growing fond of these two-shots.

There's some people I want to thank for helping me with this fic:

**Mitsuki**, for giving me the visual of Gaara strapped to a bed that triggered the idea for this story.

**Zelha**, for the brainstorming of the title (which ended up being something else altogether!) and for providing the name of Sakura's ex. Just a little therapy for our recent break ups.

**Insomniawatcher**, who led me to the Damien Rice song that provided the exact inspiration I needed.

This one goes out to all three of you.

Hope you like it!

* * *

What am I darlin'?  
A whisper in your ear?  
A piece of your cake?  
What am I, darlin?  
The boy you can fear?  
Or your biggest mistake?

_Cheers Darlin', Damien Rice_

* * *

**PART I**

******~xxx~**

"Don't worry dear, you'll get over this soon," Ino said softly while she reached out to take Sakura's hand. The pink haired girl held her fingers tightly between hers for a few seconds before letting them go.

They were sitting outside one of the city's cafés, having a hot cup of cappuccino under the afternoon sun. It had been Ino's idea to go out for some coffee and Sakura appreciated how her friend used very subtle and discreet ways to get her out of the house when she most needed it. Ino didn't throw your feelings of hurt and loneliness in your face nor did she force you to talk about things. She simply let you speak what you wanted to speak and was there for you when you needed her.

Sakura knew she was extremely lucky to have a friend like Ino and she appreciated her efforts to cheer her up immensely. She had been wallowing in misery inside her 3rd floor apartment for days and she really needed to get out again.

In the history of her life she had gone through some notorious break ups, but this one had to be the worst of all.

There wasn't much you could do when you found your boyfriend in his bed with another woman.

She had relived the scene a thousand times inside her mind and she still couldn't believe what her eyes had seen. Shune was not the type of man who did this; he was not the type of guy who lusted after women. He was an intellectual, an educated man deeply involved in his medical research. His profession was his life. He was not some kind of babbling idiot whose neurones were filled with testosterone. He simply _didn't_ do this.

But then again, he did.

Now, after all was said and done, Sakura didn't believe anything he had ever told her, even doubting his devotion to his medical investigations. Come to think of it, he probably used them as an excuse not to see her, as an excuse to prance over to the nearest room with the bimbo she had seen on his bed. It just went to show you, no matter how much you thought you knew a person, they would always manage to surprise you. Sometimes in the worst kind of way.

"Earth to Sakura," Ino said, snapping her fingers in front of her face.

She blinked a couple of times, realizing she had lost herself in her thoughts… yet again.

"You really should stop thinking so much about it," her blond friend remarked patiently. "I know it's hard not to do it but you'll only torture yourself more than you need to if you do so."

"I know," Sakura replied weakly, taking a sip from her double-cappuccino.

"He's a pig and that's it," Ino added as she drank from her own mug.

"The term 'pig' would be a terrible understatement," Sakura replied, emerald eyes hardening.

Ino instantly knew it was time to change the topic. "So, are we going to Lee's dinner party?" she asked.

"I was thinking about going," Sakura replied thoughtfully.

"We could go just for a little while," Ino said, relieved to realize her friend had taken the bait and had started talking about something else. "If you get tired we can leave early."

"Yeah, sounds like a good idea," Sakura replied, trying to muster as much enthusiasm as she could. She was aware she would only be able to handle the company of a crowd over a relatively small period of time. People were bound to ask questions about her personal life and she really wasn't in the mood for talking about what had happened. It was enough torture to relive the experience by herself already without having anyone else remind her of it.

But she also knew she needed to get back on track and needed to resume her normal life. She wasn't about to stop doing the things she liked just because of some jerk. On any other occasion, she would've been helping Lee with the preparations for his party! Sakura really needed to go back to being the woman she was before Shune and there was no better way to do it than jumping head first into the fray. Still, she wasn't about to overexert herself; she knew her limitations well. A broken heart needed time to heal and she planned on giving herself just that.

Even if the sleepless nights were long and filled with tears.

"You're doing it again," Ino scolded as she snapped her fingers in front of Sakura's face once more.

"Sorry," she apologized, "I just can't seem to help it."

Sighing in resignation, Ino decided to let the matter drop. She looked over her friend for the umpteenth time that day and didn't like what her eyes were seeing. Sakura was pale, with dark rims around her eyes tarnishing her pretty face. It was clear she hadn't been getting enough sleep and had been crying more often than not. Ino knew this was usual post-break up behaviour and that it would end soon enough. But still, she didn't like seeing her energetic and happy friend like this.

If she could only hire a professional assassin to go after the bastard… a girl could dream, couldn't she?

Ino shook her head and dismissed such thoughts from her mind. It seemed Sakura's introversion was rubbing off on her. Both of them needed a distraction, desperately.

"Do you want to catch a movie?" Ino asked.

"What's playing?"

The blond asked the waiter for a copy of the local newspaper and a few moments later, she was going over the cinema schedules. There were a couple of romantic comedies, which she knew they should _definitely_ avoid due to obvious reasons. There was a detective film playing but it probably required one's full attention to understand the plot, something she knew Sakura wasn't really capable of pulling off at the moment. Finally, Ino settled for an action film where not much thought was required and that offered a healthy dose of violence for those who wanted to wring the necks of every cheating idiot on the planet.

Sakura wholeheartedly agreed with her choice.

They paid the bill and made their way down the street, both of them looking forward to some much needed diversion.

_-XXXXXXXXXXX-_

Being alone in her apartment was, by far, the worst part of the day for Sakura. In those moments when she found she had nothing to do and there was nothing worth watching on TV, her mind tended to diverge and it would usually go in the direction she had been trying to avoid all day.

She found herself climbing the stairs of Shune's house after finding the front door unlocked. It was a custom for him to leave the door open for her when he was immersed in some sort of research. He tended to bring home work from the office, and she would typically find him in his study, eyes plastered on his computer screen and his fingers typing away. But this wasn't how she had found him this time.

Refusing to think about the situation and clamping her willpower on her thoughts, Sakura closed her eyes and filled her mind with visions of the hero in the movie she had seen with Ino earlier that that day. In one scene, the guy had kicked the ass of five thugs with nothing more than his quick and deadly martial arts moves. She wished she had a black belt in karate or shidokan so she could've thrown Shune's sorry behind out the second floor window of his room… along with the stupid airhead in his bed.

Feeding on the rage, she decided it was preferable to be angry than miserable. She wasn't the one to blame here, it was him. She had been nothing but a perfect and caring girlfriend; if that wasn't enough for him, then she was better off alone.

Sakura tried to keep hold of that thought and to hold on to her pride. But the treacherous spasms of pain coming from her heart wouldn't leave her alone and the sense of betrayal she had been trying to bury for almost a week came bubbling up to the surface again.

Yet, she refused to shed another tear. The idiot didn't deserve it. Sakura bit her bottom lip in an attempt to stop her devastated emotions from overwhelming her.

Deciding she would surf through the channels one more time, she sat back on the sofa of her small TV room, hugging a fluffy cushion to her chest with one hand while holding the remote with the other. All the programs were the same as five minutes ago and so, she settled for a local news channel and strove to pay attention to what the woman on the screen was saying.

She wasn't very successful and she found her mind wandering once again. Looking up at the digital clock on her DVD player, she found it was already past midnight. She really should be sleeping but she knew she wouldn't be getting any rest; just like the previous night… and the night before that… and the night before that.

Her body was experiencing all the common symptoms of fatigue but she really couldn't bring herself to sleep. Her morbid thoughts about Shune would hit her full in the face whenever she lay down on her bed, a bed they had shared several times, and it was simply impossible to doze off.

Thus, she finally decided to lay down on the couch, her head propped up on one of her cushions while she watched the news with a blank expression. Maybe if she was lucky enough, she would fall asleep without noticing and would manage to get some rest.

Fortunately, her plan worked. As she forced herself to pay attention to the television while the monotonous voice of the newswoman droned on, she floated unknowingly into the land of dreams for the first time in days.

_-XXXXXXXXXXX-_

She was standing in front of her college building, her books in her hand, while a throng of people came in and out of the main doors. She was waiting for someone, as she usually did after class, but when she tried to think who it was she was meeting, her thoughts would get muddled up.

Sakura was aware, in some corner of her mind, that she was dreaming. She had graduated from university years ago and she knew there was absolutely no reason for her to be on campus. However, here she was standing, wearing her favourite pair of jeans from back then and thinking of all the homework she had to do.

The midmorning sun was shining brightly upon the trees besides the building and she suddenly remembered how beautiful it was to go to school during the spring. People she knew passed her by and waved in greeting. She smiled back at them and nodded, but didn't move from her spot.

He hated it whenever she wasn't where she had told him she would be.

'He?' she thought, confused. 'Who's he?'

Before her mind could come up with an answer, the crowd seem to part in front of her and a sight she wasn't expecting greeted her surprised emerald eyes.

There, in the middle of the throng of people, Shune was making his way directly towards her, holding the hand of the woman she had found him in bed with. They looked like the perfect college couple, smiling into each other's eyes and blissfully unaware of the people around them.

Sakura thought she would be overwhelmed by the sudden nausea that kicked her in the stomach. She wanted nothing more than to flee.

But her feet wouldn't move, despite the fact that she was desperately willing for them to run. She found herself glued into place as Shune looked up towards her and recognized her. He smiled, that charming and delightful smiled she had grown to love so much, and started to make his way towards her, the woman trailing behind him.

Sakura knew she needed to get out of there; she needed to get out there _now_.

But her body wasn't responding. It wasn't moving.

A dreadful wave of anxiety overcame her and she could feel her heart beating thunderously inside her chest. This was an encounter she wanted to avoid at all costs; coming face to face with Shune was the last thing in the world she wanted to experience. But it seemed she wouldn't be able to prevent it.

She tried to close her eyes but they were focusing on Shune's face as he came nearer and nearer. It was like looking directly at a demon hiding behind a handsome face, threatening you with desolation and despair, as it approached you.

But something uncalled for happened. Out of nowhere, Sakura suddenly felt a strong hand grasp her upper arm from behind and instantly, the spell she was under was broken.

She could breathe again and her limbs reacted to her orders once more.

Turning her head to look down at the hand on her arm, in the moment she recognized the man's fingers she heard him whisper in her ear.

"_Ouka_, are you alright?"

The deep baritone voice reverberated through her whole body like it had done countless of times and the hairs on the back of her neck swiftly stood on edge in anticipation of what his whispers would usually bring.

The familiarity of his voice raced through her and as she turned to look at Shune once more, she had found he had disappeared from the crowd in front of her and there was no sign of him or the woman anywhere.

Despite the people all around them, Sakura's attention zoned in to the presence of the man behind her. As she breathed in deeply, her nose suddenly caught that intoxicating male scent that would always surround him wherever he went. She found herself smiling widely as she remembered what it was like to sleep through entire nights wreathed in that enticing smell.

Turning around slowly, she allowed herself to look behind her.

Her breath caught in her throat when her eyes fixed upon the intense jade orbs looking intently at her.

He was as handsome as she remembered him to be.

_-XXXXXXXXXXX-_

Sakura woke with a jolt at the deafening sound of her telephone ringing. She fell from the sofa and landed with a yelp on the carpet.

Trying to get her bearings as sleep slowly left her, she jumped to her feet when the phone rang for a second time and attempted to discern its location. After a third ring, she realized why it had sounded so loud: it had been sitting on the couch next to her ear and was now buried underneath one of the cushions.

She grabbed the cordless phone and pressed the talk button.

"Hello?" she answered, sounding flustered.

"Don't tell me you were still sleeping?" Ino asked from the other end of the receiver.

Sakura blinked. "As a matter of fact, I was!" she replied, trying to sound angry.

"Girl, it's past midday already!"

Sakura gaped at her friend's words and turned towards her DVD clock once again, only to find Ino was telling the truth.

"Holy crap! How could I sleep so much?" she asked, bringing her hand up to grip her short roseate hair.

"Well, I wouldn't worry too much about it. You haven't slept in days and your body was probably making up for it," Ino replied casually.

But Sakura wasn't convinced. She never slept more than 8 hours, no matter how tired she was. If she did her math, she had slept for almost 12 hours last night! It was unheard of.

Ino was babbling in her ear but Sakura wasn't paying much attention. She was sure she had been having a curious dream before she woke up. From the feelings still floating at the edge of her perception, it had been something pleasant. But what was it?

"…around 4 o'clock. Is that ok with you?" Ino abruptly asked.

Sakura did a double take and shook her head. "I'm sorry?"

Across the line, her friend sighed in resignation. "I said I'll be coming over around 4 o'clock to help you choose what to wear tonight. I think you should put on that little dark blue cocktail dress you have, the one with the crossed straps on the back…"

"What to wear?" Sakura asked, still confused.

"Lee's dinner party, girl!" Ino accentuated, "I already told you, it starts at six."

"Oh yeah," Sakura replied, finally catching on. "Sure, 4 o'clock is fine."

Ino mumbled under her breath before saying, "Try to stay connected to this world in the meantime please. I'm going out to lunch with my mother and sister, so I'll drop by afterwards. Gotta go now."

"Alright, see you then," Sakura said in farewell.

Plopping down on her sofa after hanging up, Sakura rubbed what remained of her sleepiness from her eyes. Strangely enough, she felt extremely rested, something that rarely happened whenever she fell asleep on her sofa. It had been the best night she had had in a whole week and for the first time in days her body was feeling like normal.

The cloud of depression that had been hanging above her head was gone, for the time being, and she found herself smiling as she stretched languidly. Maybe she was finally starting to get over this whole thing.

Feeling proud of herself, she stood up to get something to eat, thinking that this dinner party might be just what she needed after all.

_-XXXXXXXXXXX-_

Despite the fact that the odds had been against her all week, Sakura had to admit she was genuinely having a good time. She was talking to friends she hadn't seen in a while, catching up with their lives and, miraculously, none of them had brought up the subject of her break-up even once.

Looking over at Lee and Naruto, both of whom were talking animatedly to Chouji, Sakura was sure two of them had spread the word around long before the party, making sure everyone knew it was a touchy subject. For once, she was grateful of their nosey attitude. She made a mental note to thank them for going out of their way to make her feel comfortable in her first social event after her disastrous split up.

She had been chatting casually, doing the rounds for over an hour, looking like if nothing had happened in her dark blue cocktail dress and with her short cherry hair tied up into a casual bun. All in all, she was proud of herself for being able to look the part without any effort, something she hadn't been sure she would be able to pull off. The bags under eyes had disappeared thanks to the long hours of sleep she had surprisingly gotten the previous night and her eyes showed no sign of her having cried her heart out for several consecutive days.

Sakura was proud of being able to pull herself back together in such a short time and as she made her way towards the small bar to refill her drink, she welcomed a deviously smiling Ino to her side.

"Shikamaru is looking cuter than ever," the blond said in a rush, just before swallowing the last remnants of her martini in one gulp.

Sakura laughed at the predictable statement. Ino had had a crush on their extremely intelligent friend since high school but had never had the courage to make her move. "Maybe tonight's the night," Sakura remarked with a grin.

"Do you think so?" Ino asked, biting her lip nervously. As she waited for the bartender Lee had hired for the occasion to make her another drink, she casually looked over to where Shikamaru was standing.

"There's no better time than the present," Sakura replied.

"I know, but I'm a complete coward," Ino said miserably.

"There really isn't anything to be afraid of," she said, trying to comfort her friend. Sakura knew Ino had no problems approaching men and making advances towards them. She was confident in herself and in her sex appeal. But Shikamaru had always been the exception. "Just treat him as if he were any other guy."

"You're right," Ino said, trying to convince herself. "I should. I'll approach him after dinner."

"Good for you," Sakura replied with a wide smile, taking a sip of her cranberry vodka. "Just be casual. It's not like you just met him! I'm sure you could have millions of natural conversations with him."

Ino was nodding her way as if she were taking mental notes.

The two of them kept talking to each other for a while, until Sakura realized she was getting hungry.

"I wonder when we're eating dinner?" she asked. "I'm famished."

"Soon I hope or else I'm going to pass out too," Ino replied, bringing her hand over her tummy. "Lee said his special guest was running late but that he shouldn't take much longer."

"Oh, I see," Sakura said. "Well, he'd better hurry his ass or else we're all going to die here."

"I hear you, sister," Ino said, raising her martini glass.

"Well, if it isn't the most beautiful pair of women in the whole of Konoha," a nearby voice said with a chuckle.

Sakura turned around to see an old friend she hasn't seen in a while stepping up to them.

"Kiba!" she shouted in glee as she engulfed him in a tight hug. "When did you get here? I hadn't seen you!"

"I arrived around 5 minutes ago, work had me running late," he replied apologetically. "I'm sorry if I kept you guys waiting."

"Well, we _were_ getting hungry," Ino said, stepping forward to give him a kiss on the cheek. "How have you been?"

"I've been doing alright, thank you, though I've been extremely busy. We've been running dog shows all over the country," he replied with a wry grin.

"Yes, I heard Akamaru won his third contest earlier this year," Sakura remarked, "Congratulations!"

Kiba laughed proudly. "Thank you. We _have_ worked really hard."

They were soon immerse in conversation, discussing bits and pieces of their lives. Their lifelong friendships allowing them to talk, tease and laugh with effortless ease. Consequently, it was only after a while that Sakura realized Lee still hadn't called them to dinner yet.

"What's taking so long?" she asked with a groan.

"I don't know," Ino answered with a pout. "Kiba arrived a while ago so everything should be ready."

It was then that Lee walked into the large living room where all his guests were gathered and clapped his hands to get their attention.

"Everyone, I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting but this is a really special occasion. The person we've been waiting for has finally arrived and I'm sure many of you will be extremely happy to see him since he hasn't been around in a while."

Turning around with a huge smile, he turned towards the small corridor he had just emerged from. "You can come in now!"

A tall, well-built man wearing a dark-green dress shirt and a pair of black trousers made his way into the living room, emanating waves of self-confidence with each step he took.

When he finally reached Lee's side, a communal gasp went all around, followed by gleeful shouts of welcome.

Naruto jumped from among the crowd to embrace the newcomer.

"GAARA!" he exclaimed, ecstatic. "It's so good to see you!"

Sakura thought she was going to pass out.

Thankfully, Ino was beside her and had caught her arm as Sakura's gaze started to lose focus.

"Steady girl," her friend whispered in her ear. "It'll be alright."

Suddenly, the dream she had had the previous night came flooding back into her mind. Belatedly, Sakura realized that it had actually been a warning; an admonition she had been to uselessly unable to remember on time.

After years of having walked out of her door, the temperamental and extremely sexy redhead had decided to stroll right back into her life in the most casual way ever… and in the worst possible moment.

'I'm stronger than this,' Sakura thought to herself. 'I can face him without any problems'.

As Gaara a crowd surrounded Gaara, most of them old friends from their time at school, Sakura looked up directly at him and caught him smiling at those he was greeting; it was something he had rarely ever done before.

In that moment, the realization hit her, like a lightning bolt travelling through the sky before hitting its mark on the ground.

He was as handsome as she remembered him to be.

_-XXXXXXXXXXX-_

She was going to kill Naruto… and she was definitely going to enjoy it.

How could he _not_ tell her Gaara would be attending Lee's dinner party as the guest of honour? How could he?

Sure, Sakura had locked herself away in her apartment for the past week and hadn't answered her phone nor heard any of her voice messages, but that was far from the point. When it was something this important, you made sure to go out of your way to let your friend know. Naruto was more than aware of what Gaara meant to Sakura and she would be damned if she didn't give the loud blond a verbal lashing before the night was over.

Breathing deeply she took the last sip of her drink, which she had downed in record timing, and waited until almost everyone had gone into the dining room before going in there herself. Thankfully, Ino was offering silent support next to her. Sakura knew she would not leave her in any kind of vulnerable situation.

She thanked the heavens for the umpteenth time that week for giving her such an amazing friend.

Sakura steadied herself and straightened her dress unnecessarily. She was suddenly very conscious of her appearance and hoped that signs of her recent break up weren't really noticeable. The last thing she wanted was to look like she wasn't doing well in front of Gaara. But she caught herself before the anxiety descended completely over her and took a deep breath.

In truth, if she really thought about it, there wasn't anything to worry about. She had never actually dated Gaara officially and you could never call what they had shared together an actual relationship. It was more like the coming together of two entities that were lethally attracted to each other; two bodies that no matter how much they tried to prevent it, always ended up at each other's side.

They had met through Naruto during Sakura's 3rd year at college and the magnetism they had felt towards one another had been something neither of them had been able to avoid. Sure, he had been cranky, volatile, possessive and extremely jealous but the times she had shared with him had been some of the best in her life.

Whenever she had been with Gaara, Sakura had felt she could be herself, something that hadn't happened often in her history with men. The redhead had accepted her for who she was, with her quirks and all, without complaining even once.

They had only been together for a month. But dear God, what a month it had been! It had been hard to approach him at first, since he wasn't the easiest person to talk to; yet once she had managed to climb over his initial barriers, he had left her completely and utterly breathless. True, their liaison had been primarily marked by an all-consuming physical attraction yet there had always been some deep undercurrent of acceptance and caring beneath it all. Sakura, in the years that had gone by, had always wondered how things might have turned out if they had allowed each other free rein to explore it further.

But as fate would have it, they had never been given the chance.

Gaara had enrolled in an exchange program of a martial arts academy, meaning he would be leaving the country for an undefined period of time.

Thus, Sakura had taken the initiative, and even though it had broken her heart, she had decided to 'be mature about it' and had proposed they remain as friends.

Gaara had protested the decision, in that temperamental and angry way of his. She remembered how he had thrown a tantrum of cosmic proportions in her small dorm room. Sakura wept through it all because she knew it was useless. He was leaving and she couldn't go with him. If she did, then she would be giving up her dreams to become a doctor; and if she asked him to stay, then she would be forcing him to give up _his _dreams.

It simply wouldn't do.

After brooding about it for a few days, he had finally conceded her wishes and they had parted ways as friends.

It had ended as quickly as it had started. Sakura, whenever she had found her thoughts deviating towards him, would sometimes think of him as a flame: one that burned so intense and so hot, its light was gone before you knew it. Once it disappeared, all that remained was the memory of its intense and passionate heat.

Eventually, she had been able to move on with her life. Yet, the feeling of 'what if' had been something she had never been able to shake off whenever she remembered Gaara or heard news from Naruto concerning his life.

And now, he had walked through Lee's door without any previous announcement! It was simply too much for a girl to take.

Shaking her head vigorously, Sakura came back to the present with a jolt. She pulled herself together and made her way into the dining room, followed closely by Ino. She noticed then that almost everyone was already sitting down at the long dinner table. There were around 25 people in total and chairs were quickly being taken.

She grabbed Ino by the hand and steered them directly towards two empty seats on the opposite end of the table from where Gaara was sitting next to Naruto. It was when she was sitting down, that she felt the hairs on her arms stand on end. The chill down her nape told her a pair of eyes she had once known very well were now boring into her.

Bracing herself, she casually looked up to the see the aforementioned redhead staring directly at her. His jade orbs did nothing to hide his surprise at finding her unexpectedly sitting at the other end of the room. It seemed he hadn't noticed she had been in the living room when he had walked in.

Good. Her adverse reaction to his sudden appearance would have gone unnoticed then.

Sakura forced herself to smile at him and wave in greeting, as if it were something she did every day. In the same breath, she turned away so she could engage Tenten, who was sitting to her right, in conversation.

Catching the slight narrowing of his eyes before she looked away, Sakura decided to dismiss the passionate glint she had caught in his jade orbs. She couldn't afford for him to come into her life just for him to leave again, especially not after all the heart break she had recently been through. Sakura simply wasn't ready. Her emotions were just too ravaged and spent.

The caterers Lee had hired entered the room then, plates in hand and everyone was suddenly busy with the food in front of them.

Sakura was glad for the distraction.

She just might make it through the night alive.

_-XXXXXXXXXXX-_

"Is she seeing someone?" the redhead asked Naruto, his words only for his ears to hear.

The blond didn't have to ask who Gaara was talking about. He was well aware of what Sakura meant to his friend. Back in college, the redhead had developed a mounting obsession with the emerald eyed beauty, a fixation that hadn't lessened with the years. He had been counting the days until he would be able to return to the city; to return and to claim what he thought was rightfully his.

"She just broke up with someone recently," Naruto replied, taking a casual sip of his wine. "The bastard cheated on her."

"WHAT?" Gaara snarled through clenched teeth, trying to keep his voice low but failing miserably. Several guests looked up towards them in surprise but quickly resumed their previous conversation.

"I would've beaten the jerk up but she wouldn't let me," Naruto added after a moment.

"_I_ wouldn't have asked for permission," Gaara retorted, looking up towards the cherry haired woman sitting some distance away. She looked absolutely stunning. The memories he had been feeding on throughout all these years simply couldn't live up to the gorgeous reality of her.

"She's been miserable about it," Naruto said. "Tonight's the first time she's come out of her apartment in days."

Gaara didn't offer any reply. He just stared at Sakura thoughtfully.

This could be the chance he had been waiting for all this time… and he would be damned if he didn't take it.

XXXXXXXXXX

All in all, Sakura behaved like a champion throughout dinner, laughing, talking and making all the right comments at all the right times. She could almost pretend that an ex-flame _wasn't_ sitting a few chairs away; could almost forget she had broken up with her cheating boyfriend just days before.

Thankfully, the cheery atmosphere allowed her to relax enough to really enjoy the food and to take pleasure in the company she was in. Gaara's reappearance didn't have to mean anything; they could both handle the situation like the adults they now were. They should be able to put the past behind them and face each other in a civilized fashion like the acquaintances they were.

Although, if she was completely honest, Sakura had the underlying suspicion that if given the chance, the fiery redhead would definitely try to get into her pants.

She felt his eyes on her a few times while they were eating but decided to ignore him. Sakura knew she really shouldn't abuse the wine but there was no helping it. She really needed it if she wanted to make it through the night.

When everyone had finished eating, they all moved back into the spacious living room. Ino stuck to her like a shadow as they chatted happily with different groups of people. But Sakura knew her friend was dying to strike up a conversation with Shikamaru and was throwing glances at the man more often than not.

Sakura wasn't about to ruin her night, thus, making sure Gaara was engaged in what looked like a deep conversation with Neji and Lee, she turned towards Ino.

"Go talk to Shikamaru," she told her.

"What?" the blond asked, perplexed. "But what about you?

"The crimson demon is busy, I'll go hide in the balcony," Sakura explained. "I'll slip out there without anyone noticing. Come look for me when you're done."

"Are you sure?" Ino asked, trying to hide her giddiness at being able to go talk to Shikamaru but failing miserably.

Sakura shook her head at her and replied with a wry grin. "Of course I'm sure. Now go!"

"Alright, alright," Ino said, throwing her a grateful look. With a deep breath, she turned around and made her way across the room to where her crush was sitting.

Sakura didn't waste any time. She hid behind a group of people, exchanging a few comments with them, before making her way quickly to the glass doors to one side of Lee's living room. She opened the doors sinuously and slipped through. Once outside, she ducked behind one of the walls, her back to the concrete, making sure none of the guests inside would be able to see her.

She stood still for what seemed an eternity, but after a few minutes, she realized no one had followed her and allowed herself to relax. She took sips from her wine glass as she surveyed the cloudy night and looked down upon Lee's garden.

The only problem was now that she was alone her thoughts came tumbling without restraint into her mind.

Sakura hated to admit it but Gaara looked unbelievably stunning. She could swear he was even more handsome than before. If there was something she had never been able to control, it had been her attraction towards him. And it seemed the years had done nothing to diminish the reaction her body experienced whenever she laid eyes upon him.

It had been completely different with Shune, who had seduced her through her mind. He was an intellectual, a man with an amazing academic background. It had taken a single night of his passionate words to get her all worked up.

Despite the fact that both had reached her through different ways, Sakura ruefully admitted that neither of them had really done her any good. When the curtain dropped at the end of the act, she had ended up alone and hurting. On her own and emotionally distraught while attempting to pick up the pieces to try and glue herself back together. It just went to show you how you could never be prepared for what life threw your way.

'I think I'm going to swear off men for a while,' she told herself. 'It's the best course I can follow if I intend to keep my sanity.'

She stood in silent contemplation upon the balcony for a long while, wondering if she was destined to remain single for the rest of her life. There were many factors and much evidence to thoroughly back up such a theory. Ultimately, it might really be for the best. There had been too many tears shed, too much anguish.

It was then that she heard the balcony door open; someone walked up to the railing and leaned forward against it.

"Ino, how did it go?" Sakura asked, coming out from her hiding place.

But she belatedly realized it wasn't her friend that had stepped out into the balcony.

"So this was where you were," a deep baritone voice answered with a hint of spite. "I thought you had gone home."

Sakura gaped at the strikingly handsome redhead standing a couple of paces away.

"Ahaha, yes, well…" she started to say nervously, but knew her words were futile. So much for staying on top of the situation!

Gaara turned completely towards her then and looked directly into her eyes. The lights of the living room created long shadows across the balcony but she could see his face clearly. He was staring at her, a predatory smile on his full lips. He leaned back against the railing casually, as if finding her alone in the dark of the night was something he was used to.

But despite his laid-back demeanour, Sakura could tell that he was tense. His body betrayed him even if his face didn't and she wondered what it was that could put such a renowned martial artist like himself on edge like this.

Their eyes locked for a few silent moments as they took each other in.

Letting out a breath, Sakura mustered up the courage to approach him and decided she was going to play nice. There was no point in making a big deal about this whole issue.

They were simply friends that were meeting again after some time… right?

"How are you?" she asked with what was, surprisingly, a genuine smile.

"I'm fine, thank you."

"Well, it seems the years _have_ been good to you," Sakura added without thinking, eyeing him appreciatively.

She suddenly realized her mistake and almost brought her hand up to shut her mouth. Stupid wine! It always made you say the most inappropriate things. He was going to get the wrong idea! She was in for it now.

Gaara shot her a questioning look before the devious grin on his face increased tenfold. "They've been good to you too," he said, reciprocating her glance while taking his time to eye her legs thoroughly.

She laughed nervously. "Ahh, thank you," she said, clearing her throat. Trust her to put her foot in her mouth at the very beginning of their first encounter in _years_.

Another batch of silence followed and Sakura wished the ground would swallow her whole. But she wasn't one to back down from a challenge. She decided there was still time to correct her mistake.

"So," she continued, unaware of how his jade eyes lit up with amusement at her forced tone. "Where have you been all this time?"

"Many places," he responded without taking his eyes off her.

"I see," she replied, fidgeting with her wine glass. She had completely forgotten that to have a casual conversation with Gaara, you basically needed to pry out the words from his mouth with tweezers.

He was more a man of actions rather than words. Giving herself a violent mental shake, Sakura refused to follow that line of thought.

"And did you visit many dojos?" she asked. She knew she sounded like the biggest idiot alive but she was desperate here.

"Yes I did," he answered. He stood up straight then and took a step closer to her. "Some of them were amazing."

"That's good," she said, trying to ignore the fact that he was diminishing the distance between them.

But he kept coming closer and suddenly, a soft nightly breeze surrounded her with the scent of her previous night's dream. All at once, Sakura found herself losing her resolve. After all this time his scent was still the same; he still emanated that intoxicating male aroma that no other man alive could ever hope to match.

If he took another step, she didn't know what she would do.

She shouldn't have worried. Without warning, Gaara's face hardened and he stopped his advance. A spark of anger shone from his eyes and Sakura speculated on what had caused the sudden change.

"I heard you broke up recently," he said, trying to sound casual.

Sakura could not believe her ears. The mortification swelled in a rising tide she was unable to stop. Trust him to bring up the last subject she would _ever_ want to discuss with him! She was sorely tempted to throw herself off the balcony.

She took a step back, regaining her composure. "Yes I did," she answered with as much nonchalance as she could muster. Who had been the blithering idiot who had slipped him that bit of information? It took but an instant to pinpoint his identity.

For the second time that night, Sakura tried to control her urges to strangle Naruto.

"Did he hurt you?" Gaara asked, his barely contained anger evident in his voice.

Sakura had been expecting for him to lash out with jealousy but she really wasn't expecting this. She opened her mouth to answer but no words came out. He was actually worried about her? He was concentrating on her feelings instead of going out on a rampage to kill the impudent bastard who had dared to touch her?

People _did_ change.

She eyed him curiously before speaking. "Well, to tell you the truth, he did. I've been feeling really bad about the whole thing. But I'm feeling better, slowly improving. Thanks for asking," she finally added.

He nodded but didn't say anything.

They shared another moment of silence, surveying each other in the interim.

But Gaara abruptly resumed his approach towards her and Sakura jumped slightly at his sudden closeness.

That feral grin he had given her before returned. "Why are you so jittery?" he asked.

"I'm not jittery," Sakura replied defensively, wanting to take a step back. But her pride prevented her from doing so. "I'm just cold."

"Is that so?" he asked. "I think I might be able to help you with that."

He was so close she thought she would die from the chaos his scent was wreaking on her senses. His demeanour had shifted completely in just a few moments, as it was wont to do. He had gone from being hesitant to being angry to lustful in the time it took you to take three breaths.

His unpredictability was something that had always amazed her.

She laughed nervously again. "I don't need any help."

"You're trembling," he stated matter-of-factly.

"No, I'm not," Sakura replied, rubbing her arms in an attempt to hide the slight shaking of her limbs. She definitely needed to learn to control her body's reactions to his proximity… she really should.

"And you're doing it again," Gaara teased as he leaned forward.

"What am I doing again?" she asked irritably, her temper starting to kick in.

"Biting your lip," he answered.

When she found she was doing exactly that, she clamped her mouth shut and crossed her arms in front of her.

"Do you remember what I used to do whenever you bit your lip like that?"

Sakura gulped visibly.

Of course she remembered. How could she ever forget? He used to kiss her senseless whenever he found her abusing her lower lip and… oh God!

He chuckled wickedly when a look of shock crossed her beautiful face.

'This can't be happening!' Sakura thought in desperation as he leaned even closer towards her. 'This can't be happening!'

His lips were so close, so close… and she was drawn towards them like a moth to a flame.

"Sakura, you won't believe it!" Ino shouted happily as she stepped unto the balcony.

Sakura thanked the heavens for her friend's impeccable timing.

"Oh," the blond said as she took in the scene before her, a sudden blush covering her face. "I'm so-"

"I'm sure I'll believe you when you tell me all about it in the car," Sakura cut in abruptly with exaggerated enthusiasm. She swiftly stepped around Gaara and grabbed Ino by the hand.

She walked into the living room, making a beeline for the front door. She didn't dare look back at the smouldering redhead standing on the balcony. If she risked just one glance, she knew she would have to finish what they had started.

And in honest truth, she didn't think it would do either them any good.

* * *

_Ouka_: another word for cherry blossom; it can also mean 'song of praise'. It's the same nickname Gaara used for Sakura in _Magnetism_. I really like it so I thought I'd use it again.

Leave your reviews at the door! xD


	2. Part II

Ok, this thing came out a lot longer than I had expected but I'm actually really happy with it.

**Warning:** There's mature content up ahead… as much smut as lets me write without taking my fic off, but still, it's smut. xD

Thank you so much for the support you've shown this fic, everyone! You really have no idea how much I appreciate it.

This chapter goes out for my dearest friend **Zelha**, who directly requested some GaaSaku hotness from yours truly.

Hope I manage to make pull it off!

* * *

**PART II**

******~xxx~**

Gaara walked out of his hotel room shower while he towelled his hair dry. Wearing only a pair of loose jeans, he plopped down on the edge of the bed and turned on the television absently while he finished eliminating the excess water from his crimson locks.

The news channel was on and the lady on the screen was babbling about some sort of power shortage that had happened the previous night in a section of the city. He stared at the woman without much interest and quickly decided it really wasn't worth his time to pay attention.

He had better things to think about. Namely, how to win over a certain roseate haired beauty he had stumbled upon out of pure coincidence two nights before. She had looked decidedly striking and had invaded his thoughts constantly ever since. Gaara had decided she was even more beautiful than she had been during her college years. Sakura had had no problems admitting her attraction to him back then and he had been in no place to deny the pull he felt towards her either. But it seemed things were different now and it was evident she now wanted to give the impression that the attraction was gone.

Something Gaara was certain beyond belief wasn't true. At least not with the way her breath had caught when he had leaned in to kiss her.

Grinning at the memory, he put a stop to the reaction his body was having while remembering how amazingly sensual Sakura had looked in that navy blue cocktail dress. If he had had his way, he would've lifted the skirt of her garb right then and there and would have made that balcony a place to remember.

But Sakura had other ideas. She'd basically fled in full retreat when Ino had walked in on them.

He had treated the blond to all sorts of insults after he'd been left alone on the balcony. It had taken a while to get his body to calm down, too. He hadn't counted on the intense responses he had always experienced with Sakura's closeness and he had been forced to remember that fact in the most uncomfortable way possible. He had been extremely cranky afterwards and had no qualms with venting out his frustration by lashing out verbally at whoever was foolish enough to cross his path.

Needless to say, he had left Lee's party not too soon afterwards. He'd arrived at his hotel room to treat himself to the longest cold shower he had had in ages.

Standing up from the bed, Gaara re-entered the bathroom and took up his tooth brush. Quickly checking his reflection to make sure he was presentable, he applied some toothpaste and turned his mind to his quarry while brushing his teeth.

Sakura was going to put up a fight, he knew that very well. He would give her the pretence of allowing her to 'defend herself' but he would definitely not let her win. This had been an encounter he had been dreaming of ever since they had parted ways years ago. They had never had the chance to truly be with each other given that the month they had spent together back then had been gone by like a whirlwind. It had been over before either of them knew it. Gaara had never been able to get his fill of her and thus, he was planning on doing precisely that this time.

He finished with his teeth and put on a light-blue polo shirt followed by socks and his favourite pair of Pumas. Despite the fact that he wanted nothing else than to wait outside Sakura's door until she allowed him to come in, he actually had business to attend to.

As a matter of fact, it had been a surprise he'd wanted to announce to all his friends at Lee's party. Yet, he'd gotten distracted by… some pressing pink issues. Naruto was the only who knew of his plans, since the blond was actually part of them, and he had promised he wouldn't announce anything until Gaara told him to.

The two of them had decided to buy the Konoha Karate Dojo, one of the oldest martial arts academies in the city. Presently, the dojo was actually on the verge of bankruptcy, and their plan consisted on bringing the academy back to its former glory. They would be the two principal instructors but were planning on recruiting help from others. Lee and Neji were obvious choices; Gaara knew neither of the experienced fighters would pass on the chance to teach a younger generation of martial artists.

As such, there were a couple of meetings he needed to attend to before he could completely dedicate himself to seducing one Haruno Sakura into his bed… or her bed, for that matter. He really didn't care as long as they ended up sprawled under the sheets, blissfully satiated and exhausted.

Gaara was also grudgingly aware he had to consider the fact that Sakura had recently broken up with her ex-boyfriend. As much as he hated to admit it, she was probably still mourning over the useless twat. Any sensitive and considerate man would give her time to get over the guy before making his advances clear.

Luckily for both of them, Gaara _wasn't_ what you would call sensitive and considerate. In his opinion, the sooner she realized he was hundreds of times better than that geek she'd been dating, the sooner she would finally accept the fact the two of them were simply meant to be.

It had always been extremely clear to him. It couldn't have been otherwise, not with the way they had basically crashed into each other back in college. If Sakura wasn't able to see that, he would make sure to parade it in front of her face until she acknowledged it.

Of course, this probably meant he would have to exploit her physical attraction toward him in the worst ways possible.

Gaara grinned. Oh yes, he was going to enjoy this so much.

His mobile rang, interrupting his enjoyable contemplation.

"Hello?"

"I'm already downstairs," a sleepy Naruto said on the other side of the line.

"Be down in a minute," Gaara replied.

Turning off the television, he grabbed the key to his room before heading out the door.

The sooner he got these business dealings out of the way, the sooner he would be able to enjoy and properly celebrate his return to Konoha.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sakura sat outside the coffee shop located just around the corner from her apartment. It was the same place she had shared a cappuccino with Ino some days before. She simply loved the coffee here and it was the perfect place to catch a good breakfast.

Even if it was almost 11 o'clock in the morning.

"More coffee, dear?" the waitress asked.

"Yes Linda, thanks," Sakura replied, lifting her eyes from the newspaper to smile at the woman.

"How's the job hunting?" Linda asked, leaning in to read the adverts Sakura had circled with a pen.

"Not too good," she answered with a sigh. "I've just come back from an interview and I'm not sure I did too well. But hopefully it'll get better. There's one here that's really interesting so, I guess I'll email them my CV this afternoon."

"Good luck with that then," Linda replied while filling up Sakura's coffee mug for the third time.

"Thanks", she replied as the waitress walked away to attend some of the other regulars.

Leaning her head back on her chair, Sakura rubbed her eyes tiredly. She couldn't believe how much her luck had turned in just a few weeks. She specialized in medical research and had quit her previous job in an attempt to move on to another field. As fate would have it, she had met Shune then and he had convinced her into applying for a position at the place he worked at. She'd landed the job quite easily. Thankfully, the two of them hadn't been working in the same department but had been in close proximity most of the time. The job had been wonderful and everything was going great.

Until she found the cheating bastard in bed with another woman.

Sakura had handed in her resignation the very next morning.

There was no way she would be able to work around Shune, she knew that very well. If she came across him in the elevator or in the middle of a hall, she was sure she wouldn't be able to control her homicidal impulses and she really didn't want to spill blood in front of innocent eyes.

As a result, leaving that place was the right decision and Ino had wholeheartedly agreed. It wasn't as if she couldn't get a great position somewhere else. She came with the best recommendations from some of Konoha's top doctors. So, after wallowing in misery over her break up, it was time to get her life back in order.

And she had done pretty good up until now, despite the fact she had probably blown her first interview. She had received a couple of calls already after having sent in her curriculum only yesterday. As a matter of fact, her fiasco of an interview didn't really matter anyway since she had another meeting with another research facility the next day.

She was sure she would find the perfect job. She just had to be patient.

Her mobile rang then and she scurried to look for it inside her purse. She didn't recognize the number on the screen. It was probably from one of the places she was applying to.

"Hello?" she answered, trying to sound calm and collected.

"Good morning, ouka," a sexy voice answered on the other end.

Sakura felt all the blood leave her face.

"How did you get this number?" she asked rudely, anger forcing her to drop any pretence of politeness.

Gaara chuckled deviously at her question. "Let's just say I have very reliable sources."

Naruto could consider himself a dead man.

"What do you want?" she asked, wanting him to cut to the chase.

"I just wanted to say good morning," Gaara replied casually, ignoring her evident irritation.

"I see," Sakura replied She fought the urge not to throw her precious mobile in her coffee mug just so he would leave her alone. "Well, you already said good morning so now you can go."

"Why the sudden hostility?" he asked. She could picture the feline grin of his lips pressed against the receiver on the other side of the line perfectly.

"I am not hostile," she refuted.

"Then why won't you talk to me?" he countered.

"Because I have nothing to say to you."

"Come on now," he replied, "is that how you treat the man of your life?"

"YOU ARE **NOT** THE MAN OF MY LIFE!" she screamed into the receiver.

A malicious laugh was all he offered as an answer.

"Well, it's been such a pleasure talking to you but I've got to go," he told her eventually.

"Wha-" Sakura started to ask but he didn't let her finish.

"See you around, ouka," and with that, the line went dead.

To say she was _furious_ would be a complete and utter understatement.

How dare he?

"Sakura, are you alright?" Linda asked.

She looked up only to find the waitress and several other clients of the coffee shop staring in concern towards her.

If she had already flushed bright red from her outburst of anger, she turned deep crimson with embarrassment right then and there.

"I'm fine, thank you," she replied after a moment, "I'm sorry."

"No need to worry," Linda replied. Thankfully, the waitress had more tact than to ask her who it was that she had been talking to.

Of course, if she had fired the question, Sakura would have answered her without any hesitation: an insufferable, arrogant jerk.

Breathing deeply in an attempt to quench her anger, Sakura decided a work out was definitely in order to calm her fuming emotions. There was nothing better than to go out for run when you felt like killing someone.

She gulped down her coffee and thanked Linda before standing up and making her way down the street.

Of course, she would never admit it, not even to herself, that she had felt a shiver of delicious anticipation when she had heard the unexpected tone of Gaara's sexy voice when she had answered her phone.

_-XXXXXXXXXXX-_

Two days went by without any further interruptions from the crimson demon and Sakura found she was finally getting over the wrath that initial phone call has elicited from her usually calm and composed personality.

In truth, she had been extremely busy. She'd been to several interviews in just a couple of days. It seemed everyone in the medical research industry had found out she was unemployed and wanted her to work for their company. Even though this was a good thing, Sakura didn't really feel a particular inclination towards any of the jobs she had been interviewed for. She was deciding on whether she would say yes if anyone called her to tell her she'd been selected for the position they were offering her.

Still, she very much _needed_ to start working or else her savings account was really going to disappear.

Walking out of her building's elevator, she stepped out into the 3rd floor corridor while looking for her keys. She approached her door and it was until she was putting the key into her lock that she noticed she had stepped on something soft.

Looking down, she noticed a bouquet of flowers lying on the floor. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion, since she really couldn't think of anyone who would send her flowers.

Unless… no, that was completely out of the question. The day Gaara ever decided to drop off a bouquet of flowers for her would be the day she declared herself a direct descendant of royalty.

She lifted the blossoms up from the floor and opened the small card attached to the paper they were wrapped in.

Nausea abruptly churned in her stomach.

It definitely _wasn't_ Gaara: it was Shune.

Opening her door with barely contained violence and slamming it behind her as she walked into her apartment, Sakura threw her things unto her living room couch and proceeded to rip the card from the bouquet.

Unbelievably, he had written her some sort of clichéd poem. She skimmed through it ruthlessly. Its message was clear: he was asking her to forgive him.

"Why can't the idiots leave me alone?" she yelled in desperation at the ceiling.

She finished reading the card, where Shune stated that he regretted not finding her at home and let her know he would call later to talk things over.

"Talk things over my ass!" Sakura exclaimed, grabbing the flowers and the card. She made her way towards the kitchen and threw both into the garbage, trampling them with her foot against the bottom of the canister.

Her breathing was coming out in angry gasps but she was helpless to control her reaction.

Just what the hell was wrong with the world? How could this _idiot_ think she could forgive him after what he had done? The stupid, conceited and self-absorbed bastard!

She was beginning to think that quitting her job hadn't been enough. She would probably have to move out of town for him to leave her alone!

Kicking the garbage tin one last time, Sakura stomped her way towards the living room once again. Plopping down on the couch, she buried her face in one of the pillows and screamed with all her might.

All the anger she had been accumulating abruptly poured out of her body with the scream, leaving her empty and drained. But as the ire left her, the intense wrath was replaced by an equally intense sadness and she couldn't prevent the tears from escaping her eyes.

How could he do this to her? After all the time they had spent together… how _could_ he?

Sakura found herself sobbing into the pillow soon, holding on to it for dear life. The sense of betrayal she had been able to forget for the past few days flooded her once more and she could do nothing but succumb to the feeling of misery it brought her.

It was only after a while that she realized her mobile was ringing.

She took it out of her purse and answered it without even glancing at who was calling.

"Hello," she answered, not even trying to hide her misery. She was too tired to pretend.

"Good afternoon, ouka," Gaara answered from across the line.

This was definitely the last thing she needed.

"Hi," she replied without much conviction.

That seemed to catch him off guard. It was clear he had been expecting a very different reaction from her; but he recovered quickly.

"I find myself utterly bored this afternoon. I've finished with all I had planned for the day, so I was thinking you-"

"Listen, Gaara," Sakura interrupted without any hesitation, sniffing audibly. "This really isn't the time."

His demeanour took a hundred and eighty degree turn after hearing her say that.

"Sakura, what's wrong?" he asked, his serious voice completely at odds with the arrogantly teasing tone he had used moments before.

"Nothing," she lied. "I'm fine."

He obviously didn't believe her.

"Where are you?" he asked, an impatient edge in his voice.

"I've got to go," she replied sadly and without giving him the chance to respond, she hung up.

Leaning back against her couch, she turned off her mobile so he wouldn't call back. She really didn't feel like dealing with him right now, especially not when her feelings of grief had been stirred from their hiding place by the bouquet she had found at her door.

Being the person he was, Gaara simply wouldn't understand what she was going through and she was in no mood to explain it to him.

_-XXXXXXXXXXX-_

The redhead punched the wall of the building he was standing next to with all his might, uncaring if people turned to stare at him as they walked by on the sidewalk.

After venting some his frustration, he dialled Sakura's number again.

As he had predicted, she'd turned it off and he only got her voicemail.

Any idiot could tell that she'd been crying. The fact made his insides churn with an uncontrollable and irrepressible rage.

She had been crying over _him_, he was sure of it. And the possibility that the bastard had been with her in the moment he had called only made his muscles tense with fury even more.

If there was something he couldn't abide, it was the idea of someone hurting his woman; be it physically, emotionally or in any way. And yes, he did think of Sakura as his girl, he had done so for a very long time and there was nothing anyone could do to change that, not even her.

The problem was his hands were tied at the moment. He didn't know where Sakura lived. Hell, he didn't even know if she was in her apartment! She could easily be at the bastard's place 'discussing' their relationship.

Gaara punched the building again, refusing to follow that line of thought. He trusted Sakura and he knew she was smart enough not to fall back into the arms of that cheating asshole. But still, he couldn't avoid the overwhelming rage that was consuming him from the inside out.

His emotions were getting the best of him and Gaara knew he needed to calm down before he made any rash decisions; the idea of storming her ex-boyfriend's place was sounding more tempting by the minute and if he continued to feed his wrath, he could easily end up being arrested for violent assault.

Even though that particular outcome didn't faze him much, as things stood he really didn't have any time to waste. He had better things to do; like helping Sakura forget all about that worthless scum.

Stepping out unto the street, the redhead signalled for a taxi. A strenuous and overexerting karate training session was definitely what was needed here and he planned on getting just that. He knew plenty of dojos in the city who would welcome him with open arms so that their best students could have a chance to spar against him.

And from the looks of it, he would definitely need to visit more than a few academies to successfully calm his anger down.

XXXXXXXXXX

"It's been a pleasure, Ms. Haruno," the manager who had been interviewing her said. "We'll be calling you soon to let you know how everything works out."

"The pleasure was all mine," Sakura replied with a charming smile. Standing up, she shook his hand in farewell. "Thank you for your time."

And with that, she turned round to step out of his office, intent on getting some lunch. The interview had started out pretty well and she thought she'd answered his questions in a rather good fashion; that was, until her mutinous stomach had decided to let her know it was starving.

Fine, it had been her fault for skipping breakfast but still. A professional medical researcher wasn't supposed to walk around with a growling stomach. Much to her relief, the manager hadn't heard her protesting belly but he did notice the fact her answers were becoming shorter and shorter; it was pretty evident she'd been agitated about something.

Thankfully, he was a man of tact and had brought the interview to a close soon after that. Now, Sakura was making her way out of the building in a hurry and trying to locate the nearest food stand. There simply _had_ to be one nearby. This was the business district for crying out loud! People were in the need of constant food supply all around.

As she walked down the sidewalk in her search she breathed deeply, extremely proud of herself for not letting her sad feelings take over her life once again. Sure, she had cried and wailed yesterday after finding the bouquet but she knew she needed to allow herself some moments of weakness. If you ignored the feelings of misery that would certainly come up after a break up, you simply were denying the issue and the whole thing would come back to bite you in the rear sometime later if you didn't deal with it straight away. Therefore, she had given herself the chance to cry but this didn't mean that she would fall into a rout once again.

This was why she had taken up her job hunting again with full force and had sent out a few more of her CVs before stepping out for the day's interview. Sakura definitely wasn't going to wallow in misery more than was needed; she'd done enough of that the previous week. She was planning to get her life back together and there was nothing which could stop her from doing it.

If she could find that damned food stand!

Thankfully, her emerald eyes zoned in on a hot dog vendor stationed next to the sidewalk as she turned a corner. She took her wallet out of her purse as she closed in on him at full speed and gave him her order before he could even ask for it. The man smiled and prepared her food quickly, recognizing the starving look in her eyes. Sakura thanked him vigorously as he handed the hot dog over; she was already taking a bite before she started walking away.

She spotted a small plaza located between two tall buildings. The benches scattered around it where the perfect place to stop and indulge in her improvised lunch. As she sat down though, some of tomato sauce from her hot dog dripped unto the business suit she'd worn to her interview. She grumbled loudly for a bit as she cleaned it as best as she could with a napkin; but in truth, the suit had needed a wash anyway. Of course, if she got called for another interview that same day, she would need to go home and change.

Sighing as she finished her food, Sakura decided to make her way back home. It was only some minutes after midday yet she knew she'd be called in for another job offer before the day was over. Her job hunting had been seriously hectic; as a matter of fact, it seemed all the medical firms were hunting her instead of the other way round. Still, she ought to have enough time to relax for a bit in her apartment before she had to step out again.

Some time later, she walked out of the elevator of her building and narrowed her eyes at the floor in front of her door. She half expected another flower bouquet to be sitting there. Thankfully, there was none and she took out her keys with a smile as she stepped up to her door.

Her eyebrows lifted in puzzlement however, when it unlocked after just one turn of her key. She was sure she had double locked it when she had stepped out; even though she _had_ been in a hurry and her mind had been elsewhere. Shrugging as if it didn't really matter, she stepped into her home happily and dropped her purse on the small table next to the entrance.

Sakura stretched languidly as she stepped into her living room. The idea of sitting down to watch TV for a while sounded just right yet, quite abruptly, her nose alerted her to a scent that _definitely_ wasn't normal in her apartment.

It was mixture of male cologne with sandalwood and a little bit of spice. If Sakura had been asked to describe it, she would have said it was the smell of a fresh breeze travelling over desert sand: musky and exhilarating.

She froze. Her eyes widened in surprise as her mind quickly joined the dots. She'd be able to recognize that scent _anywhere_ in the world. Her gaze darted all around the room in an attempt to locate its source.

Her face hardened as anger started to rise to the surface. He used to this to her back in college and she had always hated it. On her toes, she walked quietly down the small corridor that led into the interior of her apartment, trying her best not to make any noise. To her surprise, the television was off when she came to her petite TV room and there was no one sitting on the sofa.

That meant there was only one other option left.

Bracing herself as her hands turned into fists with her growing irritation, she stepped up to the door of her room and looked inside.

Only to find the most unexpected sight _ever_.

Gaara was lying on her bed, shirtless. He wore only a pair of loose jeans which allowed the top of his black boxers to show on his hips as he lay propped up on Sakura's pillows. His shoes and socks were on the floor next to the bed. His expression was laid back and completely relaxed, as if he had always belonged there. One of his arms was lifted back and cradling his head while in his other hand, he held a magazine. His brow was creased in concentration while reading whatever article it was that had caught his attention.

Sakura opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. The anger that had been building up inside her abruptly came to a stop. Her treacherous body was catching up with what her eyes were seeing. The way Gaara's muscles were outlined down every inch of his body was utterly sinful. And if that wasn't enough, the way he was lying there so casually made her realize that he _did_ look good in her bed. Her hormones rose unbidden yet with such intensity Sakura thought she would have to grip the doorframe for support.

She had never been able to control the effect he had over her. She was afraid it was something she wouldn't ever be able to manage.

Due to her internal chaos, she realized belatedly that the magazine Gaara was reading was actually a Cosmopolitan Ino had picked up for her the previous week. Main article's title was written in big yellow letters on the cover: 'How to get over a guy in 8 days.'

'Oh God,' Sakura thought desperately.

In that moment, the smouldering redhead on her bed decided to look up at the door and finally noticed her standing there.

She was certain the sinful grin he threw her way ought to be illegal.

"I thought I heard you come in," he remarked nonchalantly.

At his smugness, the irritation Sakura had felt before managed to make itself heard again inside her mind. She grasped at the opportunity to be angry at him. "What _are_ you doing here?" she asked, biting the words out.

"Waiting for you, obviously," Gaara replied matter-of-factly. "You weren't home so I let myself in."

Sakura's vision went as red as his hair. She'd never really known how he managed to pick the locks; it was something she had always wondered for years. Back in college, she would arrive back at her dorm room after class, only to find him sprawled in her bed… much like he was right now.

"I could call the cops!" she snapped furiously.

"No you won't," he told her with a chuckle. "As much as you hate to admit it, you're happy to see me here."

"No am I not!" she bellowed.

But he chose to ignore her outburst. "So, is this how you got over me?" he asked instead, lifting the magazine as he spoke.

"Give me that," Sakura snapped, walking up to the bed and snatching the magazine out of his hands. "You should leave!"

"I don't think so," he replied, his grin intensifying as he crossed both his arms behind his head. "I'm really comfortable here. You always had a preference for really soft mattresses."

Sakura wished she owned a baseball bat. She could've used it to chase him out of the house; moreover, injuring him with it wouldn't have been a bad idea. But such thoughts scattered abruptly because his arms were stretching in front of her as he moved them over his head. Her eyes were forced to admire the way his muscles rippled with the movement.

Gaara chuckled darkly, very much aware of the direction her emerald eyes had ventured.

"You are not welcomed here," Sakura said, trying to recover. "And just… why the _hell_ aren't you wearing a shirt?"

"It was hot," he explained matter-of-factly.

"That does not give you the right to undress in my house!" Sakura exclaimed in reply.

Jade orbs lit up with a lustful glint. He quickly sat up on the bed next to where she was standing. "Then what _does_ give me the right?" he asked, his eyes locking unto hers.

Sakura swallowed visibly. He was so close his scent was overwhelming her again.

"Nothing does!" she replied, but there wasn't much conviction in her voice. Wanting to put as much distance between them as possible, she turned to place the magazine on a bookcase a few paces away.

Gaara grinned at her antics. "What's with the business suit?" he asked, changing the subject again.

"If you must know," Sakura said, turning around to face him while crossing her arms in front of her, "I just came back from a job interview. And I will probably have another one soon, so you'd better get out of here."

"Will you now," he remarked. His jade gaze lingered in admiration over the way her outfit outlined her figure. "Well, you'd better tell them you won't be able to make it."

"Oh really?" Sakura asked mockingly. "And why should I?"

"Because you're going to be busy with me," Gaara stated simply. He stood up from the bed then and made his way towards her, his steps confident and sure.

"I don't think so," she replied but failed to keep the tone of her voice level as he came to stand next to her.

"I regret to inform you that you really don't have any say in this," he told her as he reached out for her with his hand.

"Oh yes I do!" she snapped, moving out of the way. His arrogance and haughtiness had suddenly triggered something deep within her. Anger mingled with self-preservation. It have Sakura the strength to stand up to him.

"You will not walk in here and pretend you belong in my life, because you don't," she told him furiously. "I haven't seen you in years and I have no idea of where you've been. During all this time, you never made any attempt to contact me. After you left, you showed not even the slightest hint of having any interest in what was going on in my life. You disappeared, despite the fact we had parted ways as friends. As such, you have no right trespass into my home and try to have your way with me. I will not let you into my life just for you to walk out on me again. Do I make myself clear?"

Sakura glared at him, her eyes glinting with rage. All the resentment she had felt towards him for leaving her, after being suppressed for years, rose to the surface like the lava of an erupting volcano.

Gaara blinked several times as if trying to assimilate the tirade she'd just delivered.

Sakura walked around him and made her way towards the TV room, intent on throwing him out. But before she could make it to the corridor, she felt his strong hands grip her round the waist. Before she knew it, she was pressed up against the wall, Gaara's hard body pinning her there.

"Listen to me," he said, his voice reaching the low timbre he only used when he was furious. "I know I left you. You don't need to remind me of it. It's something I've regretted all this time but there was really no helping it. I would've taken you with me but that wasn't a choice either. At the time, you made that very clear. You say I didn't contact you and yes, it's true. I did not seek to know anything of you because, for me, it would've been torture. Knowing you were living your life happily without me would have driven me insane. So I kept my distance and cut myself off from you. But all that is in the past. I came here today because I plan to make up for the time I was gone. And let me inform you: I have no intention of ever leaving again."

He closed his eyes, letting out a tight breath, as if trying to keep his anger in check.

Sakura stared wide-eyed at him, shock written clearly on her face. When he opened his eyes again, his jade orbs pierced through her.

"I know you're hurting," he continued, "it's inevitable. But the sooner you let go of your stubbornness the sooner I will make you forget _everything_ that fucking bastard did to you."

Sakura realized she was gaping but didn't remember giving her mouth permission to move. Words got caught in her throat as her brain scrambled to grasp all Gaara was saying.

But luckily, she didn't have to answer.

Gaara mouth descended upon hers before she had time to take another breath. The urgency of his lips elicited such a primal reaction from her, Sakura found herself throwing her arms around his neck to pull him closer. She returned his smouldering kiss with equal intensity and all the years gone by suddenly seemed like if they had never happened.

It felt like it'd been yesterday that he was kissing her like he was doing now. The toxic attraction she had always felt for him awakened within her like a snake uncoiling at the bottom of her spine.

The redhead brought his right hand down to lift her leg around his hip as he pressed her even harder against the wall. Sakura did nothing to hamper him. She tightened the grip of her leg around him and pulled him closer still, her nails raking across the exposed skin of his back. He groaned into her mouth as she did so and his own hands began to travel over her body. Forcing her out of her suit jacket with barely contained violence, he broke their kiss for a moment just to dip his head to the base of her neck, licking her collarbone with his hot tongue.

Sakura let out a moan of delight as he licked his way towards her shoulder, leaving a warm trail over her skin. Once he reached the spaghetti strap of the blouse she'd worn underneath her suit, he lifted it up along with her bra-strap and let it hang loose from her shoulder. He suckled the bare skin exposed underneath it and Sakura felt the need to whimper loudly at the way his teeth nipped at her.

But she couldn't allow herself to get distracted. In the position she was in, with one of her legs wrapped tightly around his hip, she could clearly feel his increasing excitement. Desire burned through her at the sensation and it needed to find an outlet. Bringing her own hands down, she ran her finger over the edge of his jeans, slipping one of them into his boxers and playing with the soft curls she found there. After a moment, she let her palm reach even lower and started to caress him gently. Sakura felt him stiffen at the unexpected contact; yet, in the next breath, he was stretching against her like a large lazy cat. She was sure she heard a rumble from the vicinity of his chest that sounded very much like a purr. But Gaara was devouring her mouth again and bringing his hands up to undo the strap of her bra underneath her blouse.

Growling, he pulled back from her lips and coerced her to lift her arms. She pouted at being forced to stop the caresses she was happily delivering but did as she was told. Gaara, rather impatiently, lifted her blouse over her head and sent her bra flying along with it. He wrapped his arms around her, his hands caressing the warm skin of her back, as he groaned out loud at the feel of her breasts against his bare chest. Sakura wasn't prepared for the contact of skin against skin either; she opened her mouth in a silent scream of pleasure while being engulfed in his embrace.

She brought her lips to his neck and started licking her way up until she reached his chin. He grinned pleasurably at her antics but before she could continue with her ministrations, Gaara brought both hands down to her bottom and lifted her up with ease.

Sakura gave a small yelp of gleeful surprise, instinctively wrapping her legs around him. As he carried her back into the bedroom, she scattered a series of butterfly kisses all over the skin of his shoulder. Once they reached her bed, Gaara sat down on the edge as she straddled his hips. He didn't waste any time in burying his face in her breasts and giving them the attention he'd been dying to bestow. Sakura leaned her head back up towards the ceiling as he suckled her thoroughly, kneading her other breast with his hand. Lustful jade eyes looked up at her while he did so, wanting to catch the euphoric expression on her face.

Gaara chuckled at her attempt to prevent the moans she was eliciting by biting her lip but he knew it was futile. If there was something she had never been able to avoid it was the noises of undiluted pleasure she made whenever he made love to her. And he had made damn sure she didn't stop making them too. In the month they had been together back then, they had made love more times than he could count. He was looking forward to repeating the experience over an even longer period of time; he would dedicate the rest of his life to creating moments like this.

"Take them off," he heard her say, her voice hoarse with desire. He smiled against the skin between her breasts.

"Take what off?" he teased as he continued to lick his way down.

"Your pants," Sakura gasped. She felt his his hand at the clasp of her trousers.

"I'd rather take yours off first," he informed her, and without any warning, he reversed their position. He pressed Sakura up against the mattress as he undid her zipper. Her pants flew across the room before she knew it and he was suddenly lying on top of her, kissing her leisurely as his hands travelled all over her skin. She lifted her legs to lock them around him in an attempt to press him closer but as she moved, Gaara slipped off from her. He dropped on his side next to her, his nimble hands travelling down to the edge of her panties.

He never broke their kiss as his fingers slipped inside her underwear and continued their way down unhurriedly. Sakura knew he was teasing her but her brain had long ceased to functioning properly. She wanted him to touch her so badly, the entire focus of her world narrowed down to the feel of his fingers as they slipped between her legs.

Sakura let out a loud groan of pleasure as he finally reached his destination. She pushed forward with her hips in an attempt to bring his teasing digits even closer. All she could register, apart from the sensations of mind-shattering pleasure, was the sound of Gaara's low chuckles in her ear. She turned her face towards him then, only to find unabashed jade eyes looking intently at her.

"Did you miss me?" he asked as he continued to caress her.

Sakura could only whimper in response.

"Tell me, ouka," he prompted, "did you miss me?"

At the sound of the endearment, Sakura knew there was nothing she could do to prevent him from claiming her heart.

"I missed you," she whispered as she brought her face closer to his. "I missed you, Gaara."

His lips lifted into one of his characteristic grins but there was something different in his eyes, something deeper. Sakura swore she could lose herself forever in their jade depths without ever eliciting any objection.

With a growl, Gaara lifted himself up. Sakura cried out in protest at the sudden lack of his fingers. But before she could register anything else, she felt him taking her panties off. Looking up, she saw Gaara unclasp his jeans and take off his boxers. He stood in front of her, naturally at ease in his naked state.

Sakura had never truly forgotten how amazingly exquisite his body was. Sometimes, when loneliness had bitten deep across the years, she had allowed herself to indulge in daydreams of making love to him. Nevertheless, she had always managed to dismiss those fantasies as nothing more than stupid whims. Now, as she was confronted with the vision before her, Sakura now knew her dreams had been revealing the truth of what resided inside her heart: that she would willingly give herself to him until the end of her days.

He lowered his face to her belly, licking her bellybutton leisurely before making his way up to her breasts once more. When he reached her face, he caught her bottom lip between his teeth and nibbled on it. As he did so he settled on top of her, nudging her to she spread her legs to accommodate him.

In an instant, he was inside her. The world abruptly narrowed down to nothing but the sounds they were making and the rhythm they were sharing. Jade fell into emerald and there was nothing anyone could do to pull them apart; nothing. The time they had been forced to be apart was over. The sheen layer of sweat upon their skin, the heated whispers they shared, the way their bodies moulded together perfectly and the way they cried out each other's name was evidence enough: their union had always been meant to be.

Sakura's gaze sought him out, locking into his jade orbs before closing her eyes. Gaara knew she was close. He increased his rhythm and was rewarded with the way she whimpered in delight. A few moments later, he felt her tighten around him before she opened her mouth in a silent scream. She arched her back, plastering her body against his, overcome with wave after wave of bliss. Gaara followed her over the edge a few seconds later, her name on his lips as he collapsed on top of her, his breathing coming out in loud gasps.

They stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity, neither wanting to disturb the moment of completeness.

After a while, Gaara lifted his face to look at Sakura, only to find her smiling at the ceiling. Although hidden by her dishevelled bright cherry locks, her emerald eyes were shining. When she caught him looking at her, she lifted her face up to his for a quick kiss on the lips.

"So it was that good, huh?" Gaara asked smugly, settling himself back down on the pillow.

"Hmmm, yes," Sakura replied in satisfaction. "But you _have_ done better", she finished mischievously, unable to avoid the temptation of pulling his strings.

"Oh really?" he retorted, an angry spark coming to his eyes although he knew she was simply teasing him. "I'll show you better, then."

And with a fluid movement, he lifted her up in his arms before throwing her over his shoulder like a sack of grain.

"Gaara, what are you doing?" Sakura squeaked in surprise, unable to prevent a string of laughter from leaving her lips as he started to walk.

"Standing up for my manhood," he remarked, heading towards her bathroom door. "Do you have a tub?"

Despite her vulnerable position, Sakura giggled. "No, I'm afraid not."

"Doesn't matter," he replied, switching on the bathroom light. "As long as there's hot water, there shouldn't be any problem."

"Gaara, what-" Sakura started to say, but before she could get another word out, the redhead set her down on her feet and was kissed her breathless.

She didn't know what he was up to but she was more than happy to find out.

_-XXXXXXXXXXX-_

Hours later, they lay side by side on Sakura's bed, contemplating the lengthening shadows of the day as the last light of the sun filtered through the window.

Sakura couldn't believe how much had happened between them… and the day hadn't ended yet! Wondering what the night would bring, she felt a shiver of anticipation run over her skin and she smiled, turning to look at the man beside her.

Gaara had been dozing off for the last half hour, allowing her the opportunity to study his handsome face leisurely while he napped. She giggled quietly in remembrance of everything he had done to her; she really hadn't known a bath sponge could be used like _that_. But she was extremely happy she had made the discovery and that it had been with him.

However, despite their sudden closeness, Sakura knew there were many things she didn't know about him, especially after all the time they had spent apart. Still, they had time to rediscover each other all over again and just like Gaara, Sakura also planned on making up for all the time they had lost.

A sleepy jade eye opened slowly, fixing its gaze on her. He brought up his arm and pulled her close, allowing her to rest her head on the crook of his neck. They stayed like that for a while, enjoying each other's presence, until Sakura elicited a soft mischievous laugh.

"What?" Gaara asked suspiciously.

"Oh nothing," she replied. "I just thought of something."

"Which was?" he prompted.

Sakura rolled her eyes. She knew if she mentioned what she was thinking about, he would probably fall into one of his characteristic jealousy fits. But she decided to say it anyway.

"I'm just glad I didn't stop taking my birth control pills," she confided, snuggling into his chest.

Gaara knew she was referring to her recent break up. Inevitably, he felt an intense wave of rage at the thought of her in the arms of another man. But he refused to ruin this moment after all the time he had waited to have her in his arms like she was now. He was enjoying it too much. There would be time enough to give free reign to his jealousy in the days to come.

"I'm glad you didn't too," he told her after a moment, caressing her back with his hand.

Sakura smiled against his skin but didn't say anything.

They lay cuddled together for a while longer until the silence of the apartment was broken by the sound of Sakura's house phone.

"Don't get it," Gaara told her grumpily as she sat up on the bed.

"I need to get it," she said. She stood up and put on her panties. "It might for a job interview."

"I don't want you to work," he informed her moodily. He turned on his side to look at her. "I want you to stay home with me all day."

Sakura rolled her eyes. She had forgotten what a complete baby he could be sometimes. Turning around, she spotted the navy blue t-shirt he had taken off before she had come into the apartment on one of her shelves. She made a grab for it as she stepped out of the room, putting it on as she went.

"Hello?" she answered once she got to the living room.

"Yes, this is her," she added after a moment. "Oh, I see. Good to hear from you." In effect, it had been the call she had been expecting all day.

She stood by the couch as she talked to the woman on the other end, giving her some of the details of her previous work experiences. As she chatted away, she saw Gaara coming towards her, his boxers low on his hips. He moved past her, giving her legs an appreciative glance, and moved into the kitchen. He made a beeline towards the fridge, opening it to inspect its contents.

Sakura couldn't help smiling at the picture he made as he leaned down to do so. She stared in approval at his behind when he bent over to grab something from the back of the refrigerator. It really was good to have him back.

He took out the orange juice and drank directly from the carton. He stepped away and leaned against the kitchen doorway, looking at her with lustful eyes while she spoke on the phone. Sakura turned her back on him in an attempt to keep her voice even when she answered the woman's questions. If he kept looking at her like that, she might be tempted to hang up on her.

"That would be perfect," she said after a while, scurrying to write the details down on a piece of paper. "3 o'clock tomorrow will be fine."

As she was finishing up, she heard her doorbell ring but she was too distracted to pay much attention. She only registered the fact that Gaara, almost fully naked and with an orange juice carton in hand, moved to answer the door.

"Thank you Ms. Tsuki," Sakura said in farewell, "I will see you tomorrow then. Goodbye."

"Yes!" she shouted loudly in triumph after she hung up. "I've been waiting to get a call from this place. Gaara, who was-"

Her eyes widened in shock at the sight that greeted her when she turned around. Breath catching in her throat, she did her best to assimilate the magnitude of the situation occurring before her.

There, standing just outside her door, stood Shune, a bouquet of flowers in hand. His dark brown eyes were wide behind his glasses. He was wearing one of his customary suits and his briefcase was in his other hand. It was clear he'd come directly from his office.

Standing in front of him, like a menacing deity intent on retribution, was Gaara.

Absently, Sakura wondered at how scrawny-looking Shune seemed next to the redhead. Just what exactly she had seen in him?

Before she could come up with an answer to that question, Shune moved. He tried to look into the apartment but Gaara would have none of it. He moved to block his view. Shune glared and stood on tiptoe, spotting Sakura as he did so. From his expression, it was clear he'd quickly registered the fact that her garments consisted solely of a man's t-shirt and her panties.

Sakura would have laughed out loud at the situation but she knew Gaara was probably on the verge of effectively maiming Shune. She didn't dare move a muscle.

"So, you're the geek," Gaara remarked, his voice dripping venom. "Just what the hell do you think you're doing here?"

Shune opened his mouth to speak but was simply too taken aback to come up with any coherent words.

Gaara didn't give him time to pull himself back together.

He stepped forward and with his free hand he pushed Shune with all his strength, sending him flying against the opposite wall of the corridor. Not caring that he was wearing only a pair of boxers, Gaara stepped out into the corridor.

"Listen bastard," he said, towering over the fallen man, "I want to make myself absolutely clear. I _never _want to see your sorry ass around here ever again. She was with you only because I wasn't around. But now that I'm back, she definitely won't want anything to do with the likes of you."

Shune looked up at him with wide frightened eyes, his face ghostly pale.

"So make yourself scarce," Gaara finished with a growl.

The man didn't need to be told twice. He slipped out of the redhead's way and virtually ran over to the elevator doors down the hallway, the bouquet of flowers ruined in his hand.

Gaara glared after him until he disappeared into the lift. Turning around, he was about to step back into the apartment when he noticed a couple of Sakura's neighbours sticking their heads out the door at the commotion. He nodded their way nonchalantly before going inside and shutting the door behind him.

"My hero!" Sakura shouted in glee once he was inside. Laughing delightedly, she threw herself at him.

Gaara narrowed his eyes at her, thinking she might be mocking him. But as she pressed her lips against his and coaxed them open with her tongue, he knew she was being genuine.

"He definitely won't be bothering you again," he told her smugly after she had disentangled herself from his arms.

"I think you've won yourself a free dinner after that," she informed him with a wide smile. The look on Shune's face had been worth every second. "I'll cook you something."

Gaara cocked his head to the side for a moment as he regarded her. "I guess I am getting hungry."

"Good," she replied happily, ambling her way into the kitchen.

Gaara lifted the orange juice carton up to his lips and took another drink as he contemplated the exquisite way her behind moved when she walked in her panties. Even though his shirt covered most of it, it lifted just enough to give him a tantalizing view.

Food might be exactly what he needed. He really would need the energy for all that he planned on doing to her later on that night.

* * *

And we're done! I just couldn't resist giving Gaara his 'manly' moment with Shune… he was basically begging for it. XD

Now I shall look forward the Bleach smut!drabble Zelha promised to write if I wrote her this. (cackles in glee)

Hope you enjoyed it, guys!


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